This page gathers autism and disability resources for families in Shawnee County, Kansas. You'll find 15 local resources listed here, alongside Kansas statewide programs and nationwide services, all verified and in one place. For children under three, Kansas's starting point is Kansas Infant-Toddler Services (tiny-k); for school-age children, special education and IEPs run through your local school district. Confirm details directly with each provider.
Diagnosis & Early Intervention
Getting an evaluation and accessing early services.
Free CDC milestone checklists and a Milestone Tracker app help you follow your child's development from 2 months to 5 years, so you know what to watch for and when to act. A gentle first step when you're unsure whether to seek an evaluation.
Kansas's statewide early intervention program offering free developmental evaluations and in-home services for children birth to age 3 with delays or disabilities. Enter your county or zip on their site to connect with your local program, or reach out to get started.
The state agency that oversees Kansas's Part C early intervention system for infants and toddlers with disabilities. Call if you want to understand your child's rights or how the birth-to-3 evaluation and services process works.
The University of Kansas center that runs the state's primary autism diagnostic facility and connects families to evaluations, resources, and parent training. A good first call if you're wondering whether your child should be evaluated for autism.
The University of Kansas Health System offers comprehensive, gold-standard autism evaluations for children through a multidisciplinary team. Early diagnosis here opens the door to therapies and a personalized treatment plan.
KU Medical Center's pediatrics program provides clinical autism diagnoses, including a telemedicine clinic that cuts wait times for families in rural and underserved parts of Kansas. It works alongside school autism teams so children can be evaluated closer to home.
This long-established Topeka nonprofit offers autism assessments for children and teens up to age 18, right here in Shawnee County. If your child is newly diagnosed, their staff will help you understand next steps and connect you to ongoing support.
This is Shawnee County's local early intervention program for babies and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have a developmental delay or disability. Their team comes to your home to provide free developmental evaluations, therapy, and coaching so you feel supported from the very start.
School & IEP Rights
IEPs, 504 plans, special education, and school advocacy.
Every state has a federally funded Parent Training & Information Center offering free help with IEPs, special-education rights, and early intervention. This hub's directory locates the center that serves your state.
A national nonprofit protecting the rights of students with disabilities. Use their member directory to find a special-education attorney or trained advocate near you when you need help with an IEP or a dispute with a school.
Every state has a federally mandated Protection & Advocacy agency that offers free legal help when a school isn't following your child's IEP or evaluating them as required. This directory connects you to the office serving your area.
As the official protection and advocacy agency for Kansas, this center provides free legal advocacy to protect the civil rights of children and adults with disabilities, including special education and IEP disputes. Their resource center has plain-language guides on your special education rights.
This is Kansas's federally designated Parent Training and Information Center, offering free one-on-one help, training, and support to families navigating IEPs, special education, and disability services. Their Education Advocate program can walk you through your child's rights step by step.
This Kansas statewide family organization offers free information, training, support, and advocacy for parents of children with emotional, behavioral, or educational disabilities, including help with school and IEP concerns. They connect you with peer support from other Kansas parents who have been there.
This state agency keeps a plain-language list of Kansas special education resources gathered in one place for parents. It's a helpful starting point when you're trying to understand your rights and figure out who to call next.
This is the state office that oversees your child's IEP rights, and it can help when things break down at school through free mediation, formal complaints, or a due process hearing. If you feel unheard in an IEP meeting, this is a good place to learn your options and get support.
This is the local district team that evaluates students and runs IEP and special education services for children across Topeka and Shawnee County. If your child is new to the district or you have questions about their plan, start here to reach the people who work with your family directly.
Therapy & Treatment
ABA, speech, OT, and finding the right providers.
You matter too. Psychology Today's therapist finder filters for 'caregiver stress' and 'autism family,' and Open Path Collective offers reduced-cost therapy sessions nationwide. You cannot support your child well without also supporting yourself.
After an autism diagnosis, the Bridge Clinic provides short-term ABA and behavioral intervention from Board Certified Behavior Analysts while you line up a longer-term provider. It includes weekly parent training so the skills carry over at home.
This established Topeka nonprofit, now part of Astra Mental Health & Recovery after the FSGC and Valeo merger, provides autism assessments for children and teens up to age 18 and connects newly diagnosed families with follow-up mental health services and resources. It's a good local starting point if you're seeking a diagnosis.
Topeka's main hospital system offers outpatient occupational, physical, and speech-language therapy with a multidisciplinary team approach. A doctor's referral is needed to schedule, and their therapists can help with communication, motor skills, and daily-living goals.
TARC is Shawnee County's long-standing disability nonprofit, and its free Infant-Toddler (tiny-k) program brings speech, occupational, physical, and feeding therapy right to your home for children birth to age three with developmental delays. If you have any worry about your little one's development, they can start with an evaluation at no cost.
Financial Assistance & Benefits
Medicaid waivers, SSI, ABLE accounts, and legal aid.
ABLE accounts let people with disabilities (onset before age 26) save money tax-free without losing Medicaid or SSI eligibility. This center compares every state's ABLE program so you can pick the best one for your family.
Run by the Kansas State Treasurer, an ABLE account lets your child or family save money for disability-related expenses without risking their SSI or Medicaid eligibility. Earnings grow tax-free when used for qualified costs like education, housing, therapy, and assistive technology.
Kansas offers Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers through KanCare Medicaid, including an Autism waiver for young children and an Intellectual/Developmental Disability waiver, that pay for respite, in-home support, and other services so your child can stay at home with family. This plain-language guide from the Disability Rights Center of Kansas walks you through which waiver fits and how to start.
KanCare is Kansas Medicaid, the health coverage your child needs to unlock most disability waiver services and long-term supports. The Clearinghouse can walk you through applying and help you check the box for home and community-based services.
A tax-advantaged savings account that lets your child put money aside for disability-related expenses without risking their SSI or Medicaid eligibility. It is run by the Kansas State Treasurer's office and can be opened online.
This nonprofit offers free and low-cost legal help to income-eligible families, including guardianship, benefits denials, and special education issues. The Topeka office serves Shawnee County and surrounding counties.
This is the single point of entry in Shawnee County for getting your child onto the Kansas I/DD Medicaid waiver, which funds respite, day supports, and in-home help. Call them to start the eligibility process and get placed on the services waiting list.
Support Groups & Community
Find your people, in person and online.
The nation's oldest grassroots autism organization. Their National Helpline connects families to information and referrals, and their affiliate finder points you to a local chapter in your area for in-person support and events.
The largest national community-based organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Local chapters offer advocacy, family support, and lifelong services. Use the chapter finder to locate the office nearest you.
Dial 2-1-1 (or visit 211.org) to reach a free, confidential referral line for local health and human services in almost every US community, including disability services, respite, food, housing, and financial assistance.
The Autism Society of America's affiliate serving Kansas families, offering caregiver support meetings, sensory-friendly events, and social groups for teens and adults on the spectrum. It's a welcoming place to connect with other local families who get it.
A free program that pairs you one-on-one with a trained Kansas parent who has raised a child with a similar diagnosis or situation, so you have someone to lean on. They also host twice-monthly online Topic Talks for parents to connect and share.
The state's single call point for caregivers seeking respite, in-home help, and disability services anywhere in Kansas. Staff can connect you to your local Community Developmental Disability Organization and respite options for a much-needed break.
A century-old Topeka organization that helps children and adults with disabilities live, learn, work, and play, including pediatric therapies, family training, and adaptive recreation like iCan Bike and iCan Swim. A welcoming place for local families looking for both support and fun.
A county summer day camp in Gage Park designed for youth ages 8 to 17 with developmental, cognitive, and behavioral disabilities, with sports, crafts, swimming, and sensory-friendly equipment. A joyful, local recreation option run by Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.
A Topeka nonprofit that has supported local families since 1954, offering children and family services, early intervention, a feeding clinic, and case management for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. It is the go-to hub for coordinating services right here in Shawnee County.
Adult Transition & Long-Term Planning
Aging out of school, adult services, and long-term planning.
A neurodivergent employment agency offering job support nationwide over Zoom: resume building, mock interviews, and career guidance, plus direct outreach to employers to help secure placements. Supports neurodivergent individuals roughly ages 16 to 50, and has been in business over 15 years.
This state council supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, work, and belong in their communities, with resources on employment, transition, ABLE accounts, and self-advocacy. It's a good starting point for understanding the bigger picture of adult services in Kansas.
This statewide program recruits and supports trained volunteer guardians and conservators for adults with disabilities who need someone to help protect their rights and make decisions. It's a helpful resource for families thinking through guardianship or alternatives for the long term.
Kansas's state agency for adult disability services runs the I/DD Medicaid waiver that funds adult day programs, supported employment, and residential support once your child ages out of school. Their statewide resource center can walk you through eligibility and connect you to your local point of entry.
This state program helps teens and adults with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep a job, including pre-employment transition services for students still in high school. Counselors offer job training, placement, and ongoing supported-employment help at no cost.
A note on these listings. This directory is informational and not an
endorsement. Programs, phone numbers, and eligibility change, so always confirm details
directly with the provider before relying on them. Nothing here is medical or legal advice.
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